The royal wedding celebration continues, and with that comes a second dress worn by the bride!
For this evening’s reception with a paired-down guest list of just a couple hundred of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s closest friends and family, Prince Harry's bride, the former Meghan Markle, stunned in a chic evening dress designed by Stella McCartney.
The gown — made of silk crepe, according to a Kensington Palace press release — is sleeveless and features a gorgeous high neckline. She wore satin heels by Aquazzura with nude mesh details and soles painted baby blue.
The newlyweds left Windsor Castle shortly after saying "I do" to head over to the reception at Frogmore House, hosted by Harry's father, Charles, Prince of Wales.
Together, the duke and duchess left for the party in a blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero, a vintage vehicle from 1968. (Fancy!) The two waved at the crowd as they sped off.
Earlier during the ceremony, the duchess donned a simple, yet elegant white three-quarter sleeved boatneck dress designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy. The gown had a long, soft train that followed behind as she walked up to meet her prince at the altar.
The 16-foot veil, trimmed with 53 hand-embroidered flowers representing the counties of the British Commonwealth, was held in place with Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara.
As for the sparkle accompanying her second look of the day, the duchess wore an aquamarine ring on her right hand — one that belonged to Harry's mother, the late Princess Diana. (The new bride also paid tribute to Diana with her bouquet of forget-me-nots.)
So, why did the royal bride show up in a completely new look? So she can party the night away, of course. This second dress seems less restrictive and more conducive to dancing compared to the gown she wore earlier.
And it's not uncommon for brides to show up to the reception in a completely different dress. In fact, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wore a second dress for her wedding reception with Prince William.
If the Duchess of Sussex is anything like her new sister-in-law, we'll probably be seeing this chic, sleeveless look a lot more among future brides. After all, they're not just royalty, but trendsetters, too.
